Sunday, February 21, 2016

You know how the cops on cop
shows go through the corpse’s pockets and find Clues? You can do that
with your characters. Not just, you know, the dead ones. Or the undead
ones, depending on what you write.

This is a great exercise, especially if you’ve been drinking
are with a fellow writer who has read your stuff and whose stuff you’ve
read; you can tell one another what you think is in the other’s
characters’ wallets. You can challenge one another, like, “Okay, what’s
in Heathcliff’s wallet?”

I mean, think about what’s in YOUR
wallet. Better yet, go through your wallet and SEE what’s in there. Mine
has credit card, debit card, driver’s license, rewards cards for hotels
and stores, a picture of my mother when she was pregnant with me that
was given to me by my husband’s oldest sister who was friends with her
back then, the address and phone number of my pal Pat, postage stamps,
photos of relatives, a picture of Dennis Kucinich, a photo of a mom and kid I don’t know but found discarded and felt sorry for….

In my purse, now, I have So. Many. Things.

If
you’re stuck on a characterization or a plot point, try this exercise,
and see if it shakes something loose. It might not bring up anything you
want to use, but it might get those juices flowing again, or it might
inspire a character twist or depth you hadn’t thought of before.